NIST SBIR Program Soliciting Proposals

Small businesses invited to propose solutions to solve cybersecurity and manufacturing challenges.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), through its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, invites small businesses to propose solutions to specific challenges in the fields of cybersecurity and manufacturing.

SBIR Phase I awards provide up to $90,000 over a performance period of seven months and are intended to determine if the proposed research is feasible and how well the awardee performs that research. Phase I awardees are eligible to apply for Phase II funding to further develop their technology.

The NIST 2013 SBIR solicitation names 17 specific technologies for development, including four technology transfer subtopics – inventions and technologies started at NIST that have commercial potential but require more work to be finished products/services for the U.S. marketplace.

The SBIR program identifies and solicits proposals in subtopics that fall within NIST’s mission and allow collaboration between NIST scientists and the SBIR awardees whenever possible. In order to ensure a greater strategic alignment between the SBIR program and NIST’s laboratory research program, the SBIR topics are based on the investment priorities identified in the NIST Programmatic Plan.

In the interest of competitive fairness, communication with NIST concerning a specific technical topic or subtopic during the open solicitation period is not allowed, with the exception of the public discussion group at www.nist.gov/sbir. All questions and responses will be publicly, though anonymously, posted on the discussion group webite.

Read the 2013 SBIR solicitation for a full explanation of the SBIR process, rules and the specific challenges the proposals should address. Unsolicited proposals, i.e. proposals that do not address the challenges outlined in the SBIR proposal solicitation, will not be accepted. The solicitation closes February 25, 2013.

For general information about the NIST SBIR program, call 301.975.4188 or send an e-mail to sbir@nist.gov.